Grease gun or the like



Aug. 9, 1966 F. L. ANDERSON 3,265,252

' GREASE GUN OR THE LIKE Filed Jan 25, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 32 3 was m 3-9; 54

I N VEN TOR.

EZMKW franc/J A. Anderson 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. L. ANDERSON GREASE GUN OR THE LIKE Aug. 9, 1966 Filed Jan. 25, 1965 INVENTOR.

Af/O/F/VfV United States Patent 3,265,252 GREASE GUN 0R THE LIKE Francis L. Anderson, Houston, Tex., assignor of one-half to William E. ltiamrn, Houston, Tex. Filed Ian. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 427,902 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-262) This invention relates to pressure fluid operated mechanism for dispensing fluid materials and more particularly to apparatus for dispensing heavy grease or similar semisolid materials under high pressure.

The invention is capable of use for the dispensing of a wide variety of liquid and semi-solid fluid materials under pressure and finds particular utility in connection with the dispensing of relatively viscous, semi-solid materials, such as heavy grease or other substances which can be made to flow only by the use relatively high pressures and which may be conveniently furnished in the form of sticks or other similarly shaped bodies for use in high pressure dispensing apparatus.

In the dispensing of various kinds of heavy fluid materials, such as lubricating oils and greases, caulking compounds, plastic sealants and the like, it is common to make use of dispensing apparatus of the grease-gun type adapted to be operated by air pressure. Such apparatus is usually designed for operation by the ordinary compressed air sources available in shops, service stations and other places having compressed air equipment capable of delivering pressures of about eighty to one hundred pounds per square inch, the material being delivered to lubricant fittings or the like by means of pressure operated plunger mechanism of small capacity whereby high pressure may be applied to the material. In apparatus of this kind the material is customarily fed to the plunger mechanism by means which operates under substantially the same pres sure as the plunger mechanism, and which does not lend itself satisfactorily to the dispensing of relatively heavy materials such as hard greases or the like.

The present invention has for an important object the provision of pressure fluid operated dispensing apparatus which is designed for dispensing at high pressure heavy, semi-solid, fluid materials, such as hard grease, and which may be satisfactorily operated under the pressure available from sources ordinarily in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide fluid dispensing apparatus having dispensing mechanism which is operated by the pressure of fluid from a source of fluid under pressure and means for feeding the fluid to be dispensed to such mechanism at a pressure higher than the pressure from said source.

A further object of the invention is the provision in fluid dispensing apparatus having dispensing mechanism which is operated by the pressure of fluid from a source of fluid under pressure and means for feeding the fluid to be dispensed to such apparatus under pressure, of means operated by pressure from said source for applying to said material to be fed a pressure higher than the pressure of said source.

Another object of the invention is to provide fluid dispensing apparatus having dispensing mechanism and means for feeding material to be dispensed to such mechanism, said means and mechanism being operable by fluid pressure from a common source of fluid under pressure and including means for supplying fluid from said source for the operation of said feeding means at a higher pressure than the pressure of said source.

A further object of the invention is the provision of dispensing mechanism for heavy fluid material, such as hard grease, or the like, which is operable by fluid under pressure and wherein the supply of the material to be dispensed may be easily and quickly replenished.

The above and other obvious objects and advantages of the invention may best be understood from the following detailed description constituting a specification of the invention, when considered in conjunction with the annexed drawings, wherein- FIGURE 1 is a central, longitudinal, cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the same with the parts in the positions which they occupy prior to a dispensing operation of the apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing details of construction of the reciprocating valve mechanism of the apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 3 showing the reciprocating valve mechanism rotated degrees from the position of FIGURE 3 with the valve in one extreme position of its movement;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 4, showing the reciprocating valve mechanism with the valve in the other extreme position of its movement; and

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 1, showing the parts in the positions which they occupy at the close of the dispensing opera-tion of the apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail the dispensing mechanism of the invention, as shown in the present illustration, has a dispensing and compressor barrel, generally designated 10, and a supply cylinder 12, which are connected together at one end by a fitting 14 to form a unitary structure or gun, of which the parts are threadably connected to permit ready disasseinbly. The barrel 10, is preferably made up of threadably connected sections 16, 13 and 24), respectively, of which the section 16 may be called the dispenser section, the section 18 being a valve section and the section 20 being a compressor section.

The fitting 14 may conveniently be formed as a casting having a material feeding chamber 22, provided with an inlet opening, which is internally threaded, as shown at 24 for the threadable connection thereto of the supply cylinder 12, the chamber being also in communication with a longitudinal dispensing bore 26 formed in the casting. The fitting has an externally threaded boss 28 to which one end of the barrel section 16 is threadably connected, the bore 26 being centrally located relative to the boss. A dispenser actuating chamber 30 is formed with in the section 16, which section is externally threaded at its other end, as shown at 32 for threadable connection to the internally threaded end of the section 18. A valve chamber 33 is formed Within the section 18. The section 18 is in turn externally threaded at its other end, as seen at 34, for connection to the internally threaded end of the compressor section 20, within which a compression chamber 36 is located.

A piston rod extends through the chambers 39, 33 and 36 of the barrel, which rod carries a dispensing piston 38 in the dispenser actuating chamber 30, and a cornpressor piston 40 in the compressor chamber 36. The piston rod also has at one end a dispensing plunger portion 42, slidably extended into the bore 26 and at the other end a plunger portion 44 which works in a bore 46 in the section 20 which is open at its outer end.

Within the chamber 33, the piston rod carries a valve block 48, upon which a valve 56 is slidably disposed.

As best shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, the valve 'block 48 is formed with a passageway 52 which is in communication with the interior of the chamber 33 and with the interior of an outer pipe 54, forming a part of the piston rod and which is connected at one end to the block 48 and at its other end to the piston 38, and the valve block also has a passageway 54 in communication with the interior of chamber 33 and with the interior of an inner pipe 56 also connected at one end to the block and at its other end to the piston 38.

Outer pipe 54 has an opening 58 adjacent the piston 38, which opens into the chamber 30 on one side of the piston 38, and inner pipe 56 is open at its outer end into chamber 30 on the other side of piston 38, through openings 60 in a hollow extension 62 attached to the piston and whose interior is in communication with the inner pipe and the interior of chamber 30.

The valve block 48 has a further passageway 64 which opens to the exterior of the block within the valve 50, so that this passageway is at all times closed to the interior of chamber 33, the passageway 64 being in communication with the interior of a pipe 66 forming a part of the piston rod connected at one end to the block 48 and at its other end to the piston 40 in compressor chamber 36. Pipe 66 is in communication with the plunger 42 which is tubular and which opens to the exterior of the barrel through the bore 44.

Suitable packing, such as that indicated at 70 is provided between the outer pipe 54 and the section 16, through which the piston rod is slidable and which forms a seal between the chambers 16 and 18. Similar packing, shown at 72 is provided about the plunger 40 in the bore 26 to prevent leakage into and out of the chamber 16, and packing means, such as that shown at 74, is provided about the plunger 42 in the bore 44 to prevent leakage from chamber 36 to the exterior.

Valve 50 is of hollow construction, and is formed at each end with opposite laterally extending lugs or ears 76, best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the valve being slida'ble on the block 48 and fitted to the same to prevent leakage of fluid between the valve and block. The valve is held in engagement with the block, as by means of a bracket 78, extending over the valve and secured at its opposite ends to the blocks.

The valve is actuated by means of a pair of actuating rockers or bell cranks 80 pivotally attached to opposite sides of the block 48, as shown at 82, for rocking movement into engagement with the lugs 76 of the valve to move the valve to either of its extreme positions, as seen in FIGURES 4 and 5. Each actuator rocker has a side arm 84 mediate its ends to which a coil spring 86 is connected at one end, which is also connected at its other end to the block.

The lower ends of the actuator rockers 82 extend downwardly through an opening 88 is a fixed plate 90 supported within the chamber 33, as by means of a screw 92 passing through a tubular spacer 94 inside the chamber and upon which the plate rests with the ends of the opening positioned for engagement with the rockers upon movement of the piston rod in one direction to move the valve to one of its extreme positions and upon movement of the piston rod in the other direction to move the valve to its other extreme position, as best shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

The compressor piston 40 has a passageway 96 therethrough and is provided with a check valve 98, which may be of the reed valve type to close the passageway 96 against the flow of fluid in one direction therethrough while allowing such flow in the other direction.

A passageway 97 is also provided in section 18 through which fluid may flow from chamber 33 into chamber 36.

The chamber 36 is in communication at its outer end with the end of the cylinder 12 remote from the fitting 14, as by means of a hose 100 connected at one end to a fitting 102 in communication with a passageway 104,

through which fluid may flow out of the chamber 36 through a check valve 106, but which prevents the backflow of fluid from the cylinder 12. The hose is connected to cylinder 12 by a fitting 108 which is provided with a relief valve 110 which may be set to regulate the pressure supplied to the cylinder.

The cylinder 12 has a piston 112 movably disposed therein for movement toward the fitting 14 under the influence of pressure admitted to the cylinder through the hose 100 and which is provided with an extension or stop element 114 positioned for engagement with the wall of the supply chamber 22 to prevent the piston from moving from the cylinder into the chamber.

A handle 116 is provided for the barrel 10, which has a passageway 118 therein which communicates with any convenient source of fluid under pressure and which leads into the interior of the chamber 33 under the control of a valve 120 constructed to be opened by a trigger 122, to supply fluid under pressure to the chamber 33, and which is closed by a spring 124 to shut off the supply of such fluid from the chamber when the trigger is released.

At the discharging end of the equipment, the fitting 14 has a connection 126 leading to any desired location for the dispensing of the material, and which may be used to connect the equipment to any suitable grease fittings or other devices into which the material is to be dispensed. A passageway 128 is also provided in communication with the bore 26 and leading to the exterior, which passageway is closed by a plug 130 which may be removed to allow the escape of air from the bore so that the bore may be completely filled with the material to be dispensed. A connection 132 is also provided through which fluid under pressure may be supplied to the chamber 22 under the control of an inwardly opening check valve 134 through a passageway 136, for a purpose to be explained hereinafter.

In making use of the dispensing apparatus, constructed as described above, the cylinder 12 may be unscrewed from the fitting 14 with the piston 112 located at the opposite end of the cylinder, and the cylinder filled with the material to be dispensed in advance of the piston. For this purpose the material to be dispensed may be supplied in the form of sticks shaped to fit the inside of the cylinder, or may be enclosed in a wrapper or the like, for insertion therein. The cylinder may then be again screwed into the fitting and the passageway 118 of the handle 116 then connected in communication with the source of fluid under pressure, such as an air compressor.

With the apparatus thus loaded and the parts positioned as shown in FIGURE 1, the trigger 122 may be actuated to open valve 120 to supply fluid under pressure to chamber 33, the valve 50 being in the position of FIGURES l and 4, to allow fluid from chamber 33 to flow through passageway 52 and outer pipe 54, through opening 58 into chamber 30 to move piston 38 to the left, as viewed in FIGURE 1, to advance the plunger 40 in the bore 26 to discharge the material through the connection 126. As the piston 38 moves to the left in chamber 30, fluid in advance of the piston may flow out of the same through the opening 60, inner pipe 56, passageway 54, valve 50, passageway 64 and pipe 66 to the exterior, thus exhausting the fluid from the chamber in advance of the piston.

When the piston 38, and the piston rod therewith, has moved to the limit of such movement to the left, the actuating rockers 80 will engage the forward end of the opening 88 of plate 90 to shift the rockers from the position of FIGURES 1 and 4 toward the position of FIG- URES 6 and 5, the springs 86 being effective upon such shifting to snap the valve 50 to its reverse position shown in FIGURES 6 and 5, whereupon fluid from chamber 33 may flow through inner pipe 56 into chamber 30 on the advance side of piston 38 to move the piston to the right, while allowing fluid to exhaust from chamber 30 on the other side of the piston through outer pipe 54, passageway 52, valve 50, passageway 64 and pipe 66.

When the piston 38 and the piston rod therewith has moved to the right to retracted position, the rockers 80 will be engaged with the other end of the opening 88 to cause the valve 50 to be again snapped into the position of FIGURES 1 and 4, to again admit pressure to chamber 30 through outer pipe 54 to advance the piston 38, while exhausting fluid from chamber 30 through inner pipe 56, thus repeating the dispensing operation of the apparatus.

During the advance movement of piston 38 in chamber 30 fluid from chamber 33 will flow into chamber 36 through passageway 97 and through the passageway 96 of piston 40, and during the return or retracting movement of piston 38 the fluid in chamber 36 is prevented from flowing back through passageway 96 by the reed valve 98, so that fluid will be compressed in chamber 36 by movement of the piston 40 to the right therein to supply fluid to the cylinder 12 on the right side of piston 112 therein at a higher pressure than the fluid supplied to chamber 33 from the source. The compressor section 20 with its chamber 36, piston 40 and valves 98 and 1% thus act as a pump to supply fluid at a higher pressure than that supplied to chamber 33, which higher pressure is supplied to cylinder 12 to apply pressure to the material therein to feed the material to the bore 26 in advance of the plunger 40.

When the supply of the material to be dispensed has been depleted from cylinder 12, the hose 100 may be released from the fitting 108 and the supply line from the source of fluid under pressure disconnected from the handle 116 and connected to the connection 132 to supply fluid under pressure to chamber 22 to retract the piston 112 in cylinder 12, whereupon the cylinder may be unscrewed from fitting 14 and refilled with a new charge of the material.

The pistons 38, 40 and 112 will, of course, be provided with the usual seal forming elements, such as those shown at 140, 142 and 144, respectively, to prevent the flow of fluid past the pistons during operation of the apparatus.

It will thus be seen that the invention, constructed as described above, provides dispensing apparatus which is readily operated from any convenient source of pressure fluid, which may be quickly reloaded upon depletion of the material to be dispensed, and by which materials of heavy or semi-solid character may be easily dispensed.

The invention is disclosed herein in connection with a particular construction and arrangement of the parts, which is intended by way of example only, and it is to be understood that the apparatus is capable of modification within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus for dispensing fluent material under pressure, a pressure barrel, means forming an actuating chamber and a pump chamber in the barrel, an actuating piston movably disposed in the actuating chamber and a pump piston movably disposed in the pump chamber, means connecting the actuating piston and the pump piston for movement together, a supply cylinder for fluent material, means connecting the barrel and cylinder together at one end and formed with a discharge bore in communication with said one end of the cylinder, a plunger slidably extended into said bore and connected to said actuating piston for movement there with in one direction to close the bore against the inflow of material from the cylinder and to apply pressure to material in the bore and in the other direction to open the bore to such inflow, a material feeding piston movably disposed in the cylinder, means for admitting fluid to the pump chamber on one side of the pump piston upon movement of the pump piston in one direction and for discharging fluid from the pump chamber on said one side of the pump piston upon movement of the pump piston in the other direction, means for conducting fluid discharged from the pump chamber into said cylinder to unge said material feeding piston toward said one end of the cylinder, means for introducing fluid under pressure into said one end of the cylinder to urge said material feeding piston away from said one end of the cylinder, and means for admitting fluid under pressure into said actuating chamber at one side of the actuating piston and allowing an outflow of fluid therefrom to move the actuating piston in one direction and for ad mitting fluid under pressure into the actuating chamber on the other side of the actuating piston and allowing an outflow of fluid therefrom to move the actuating piston in the other direction.

2. In apparatus for dispensing fluent material under pressure, a pressure barrel, a supply cylinder for fluent material, means connecting the barrel and cylinder together at one end and formed with a discharge bore in communication with said one end of the cylinder, a plunger slidably extended into said bore for movement in one direction to close the bore against the inflow of material from the cylinder and to apply pressure to material in the bore and in the other direction to open the bore to such inflow, a piston movably disposed in said cylinder, pressure fluid mean-s in the barrel connected to said plunger for movement therewith, means for supplying fluid under pressure from a source of such fluid to said pressure fluid means to operate the same, pressure fluid pumping means in the barrel having an inlet into which fluid from said source may flow and an outlet for the discharge of fluid at a pressure higher than the pressure of fluid from said source and means for introducing fluid from said outlet into the other end of said cylinder to urge said piston toward said one end thereof.

3. In apparatus for dispensing fluent material under pressure, a pressure barrel, a supply cylinder for fluent material, means connecting the barrel and cylinder together at one end and fiormed with a discharge bore in communication with said one end of the cylinder, a plunger slidably extended into said bore for movement in one direction to close the bore against the inflow of material from the cylinder and to apply pressure to material in the bore and in the other direction to open the here to such inflow, a piston movably disposed in said cylinder, pressure fluid means in the barrel connected to said plunger for movement therewith, means for supplying fluid under pressure from a source of such fluid to said pressure fluid means to operate the same, pressure fluid pumping means in the barrel having an inlet into which fluid from said source may flow and an outlet for the discharge of fluid at a pressure higher than the pressure of fluid from said source, means forming a releasable connection between said outlet and said cylinder and through which fluid may flow from said outlet into the other end of said cylinder to urge said piston toward said one end thereof and means for introducing fluid under pressure into said one end of said cylinder to move said piston toward said other end of said cylinder when said releasable connection is released.

4. In apparatus for dispensing fluent material under pressure, a pressure barrel, a supply cylinder for fluent material, means connecting the barrel and cylinder to gether at one end and formed with a discharge bore in communication with said one end of the cylinder, a plunger slidably extended into said bore for movement in one direction to close the bore against the inflow of material from the cylinder and to apply pressure to material in the bore and in the other direction to open the bore to such inflow, a piston movably disposed in said cylinder, pressure fluid means in the barrel connected to said plunger for movement therewith, means for supplying fluid under pressure from a source of such fluid to said pressure fluid means to operate the same, pressure fluid pumping means in the barrel having an inlet through which fluid from said pressure fluid means may flow and an outlet through which such fluid may be discharged at a higher pressure than the pressure of fluid from said source, means forming a releasable connection between said outlet and the other end of said cylinder and through which fluid under pressure may flow from said outlet into the cylinder to urge the piston towards said one end of the cylinder and means for introducing fluid pressure into said one end of the cylinder to move the piston toward said other end thereof when said releasable connection is released.

8 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,007,707 7/1935 Dodge 222-262 2,114,507 4/ 1938 Smith 222262 2,610,768 9/1952 Le Clair 222-262 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Examiner. 

1. IN APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING FLUENT MATERIAL UNDER PRESSURE, A PRESSURE BARREL, MEANS FORMING AN ACTUATING CHAMBER AND A PUMP CHAMBER IN THE BARREL, AND ACTUATING PISTON MOVABLY DISPOSED IN THE ACTUATING CHAMBER AND A PUMP PISTON MOVABLY DISPOSED IN THE PUMP CHAMBER, MEANS CONNECTING THE ACTUATING PISTON AND THE PUMP PISTON FOR MOVEMENT TOGETHER, A SUPPLY CYLINDER FOR FLUENT MATERIAL, MEANS CONNECTING THE BARREL AND CYLINDER TOGETHER AT ONE END AND FORMED WITH A DISCHARGE BORE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID ONE END OF THE CYLINDER, A PLUNGER SLIDABLY EXTENDED INTO SAID BORE AND CONNECTED TO SAID ACTUATING PISTON FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH IN ONE DIRECTION TO CLOSE THE BORE AGAINST THE INFLOW OF MATERIAL FROM THE CYLINDER AND TO APPLY PRESSURE TO MATERIAL IN THE BORE AND IN THE OTHER DIRECTION TO OPEN THE BORE TO SUCH INFLOW, A MATERIAL FEEDING PISTON MOVABLY DISPOSED IN THE CYLINDER, MEANS FOR ADMITTING FLUID TO THE PUMP CHAMBER ON ONE SIDE OF THE PUMP PISTON UPON MOVEMENT OF THE PUMP PISTON IN ONE DIRECTION AND FOR DISCHARGING FLUID FROM THE PUMP CHAMBER ON SAID ONE SIDE OF THE PUMP PISTON UPON MOVEMENT OF THE PUMP PISTON IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, MEANS FOR CONDUCTING FLUID DISCHARGED FROM THE PUMP CHAMBER INTO SAID CYLINDER TO URGE SAID MATERIAL FEEDING PISTON TOWARD SAID ONE END OF THE CYLINDER, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE INTO SAID ONE END OF THE CYLINDER TO URGE SAID MATERIAL FEEDING PISTON AWAY FROM SAID ONE END OF THE CYLINDER, AND MEANS FOR ADMITTING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE INTO SAID ACTUATING CHAMEBR AT ONE SIDE OF THE ACTUATING PISTON AND ALLOWING AN OUTFLOW OF FLUID THEREFROM TO MOVE THE ACTUATING PISTON IN ONE DIRECTION AND FOR ADMITTING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE INTO THE ACTUATING CHAMBER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ACTUATING PISTON AND ALLOWING AN OUTFLOW OF FLUID THEREFROM TO MOVE THE ACTUATING PISTON IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. 